Keypoints:
- Ouattara wins historic fourth term peacefully
- UK–Cote d’Ivoire trade growing fast post-Brexit
- Economic continuity set to attract more investment
COTE d’Ivoire has once again found itself in the international spotlight following last week’s presidential elections, which saw incumbent President Alassane Ouattara secure a historic fourth term in office. The peaceful conduct of the vote and the swift acceptance of results by opposition figures have been widely hailed as signs of the country’s growing democratic maturity and political stability.
Economic transformation and investor appeal
Once best known for its troubled political scene, Cote d’Ivoire today stands as one of Africa’s most dynamic economies – and thus an increasingly attractive partner for global investors, not least the UK.
The country is the world’s largest exporter of cocoa beans, cocoa paste, and cocoa shells, while also boasting strong exports of gold, cashew nuts, rubber, and petroleum products. Under Ouattara’s pro-growth leadership, the Ivorian economy has achieved some of the fastest growth rates globally. Unemployment has dropped steadily to just 2.3 percent, and extreme poverty continues to decline. Ivorians now enjoy the highest GDP per capita in all of West Africa except Cape Verde – a testament to the country’s private-sector-led growth model.
Trade boom with the UK
Trade ties between the UK and Cote d’Ivoire have expanded significantly in recent years, buoyed by the 2020 UK–Cote d’Ivoire Economic Partnership Agreement. The deal removed duties and quotas on Ivorian exports to Britain while gradually liberalising tariffs on UK goods entering the Ivorian market.
Between the first quarter of 2024 and the first quarter of 2025, UK exports to Cote d’Ivoire jumped by nearly 58 percent, while imports from the country rose by more than 33 percent. Cote d’Ivoire is now Britain’s leading supplier of cocoa beans, accounting for 84 percent of UK imports last year.
Yet despite this momentum, Cote d’Ivoire remains only the UK’s 91st-largest export market – a clear indicator of the vast untapped potential still to be realised. With its strategic location on the Gulf of Guinea and its role as a petroleum and logistics hub for West Africa, the country represents a gateway to a regional market of more than 400 million people.
Continuity and reform under Ouattara
Ouattara’s background as an economist – with senior roles at the International Monetary Fund and the Central Bank of West African States – has shaped his market-oriented governance style. His administration has prioritised macroeconomic stability, infrastructure development, and investor confidence.
Religiously diverse and culturally plural, Cote d’Ivoire has also made strides toward social cohesion. The president, a Muslim, and his Algerian Catholic wife, Dominique, embody the interfaith harmony that has helped sustain peace since the country’s brutal 2011 civil conflict.
The recent election, which pitted Ouattara against former First Lady Simone Gbagbo, further underscored how far the nation has come. Once bitter rivals, the two camps accepted the democratic process, signalling a new chapter of reconciliation and political maturity.
Partnership potential with the UK
As Cote d’Ivoire embarks on its next phase of development, continuity in leadership is expected to drive ongoing reforms and attract greater international investment. Priorities for the coming years include expanding infrastructure, diversifying exports, and deepening ties with global partners.
For the UK, which is redefining its global trade strategy in the post-Brexit era, Cote d’Ivoire offers a model of economic promise and stability in Africa. Strengthening trade, investment, and development cooperation could not only benefit both nations economically but also position Britain as a key ally in West Africa’s next growth story.
Cote d’Ivoire’s elections may have reaffirmed continuity at the top, but the country’s economic evolution is only just beginning — and for Britain, the partnership potential is ripe for harvest.
Zewdi Hailu is a researcher and commentator on African geopolitics
